Abstract (Article Summary)As was widely expected, Episode I: The Phantom Menace had a record-breaking opening day, pulling in an estimated $28.5 million, 20th Century Fox says. The Star Wars prequel beat record-holder The Lost World: Jurassic Park, which made $21.6 million its first day out. That puts Menace on track to break the opening weekend record, says movie analyst Jeffrey Logsdon of the Seidler Cos. The projected five-day take ranges from $120 million to $150 million. The record: The Lost World's $90.2 million in 1997. The Star Wars prequel opened at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday in 2,970 sites and is playing to full houses everywhere, Logsdon notes. "Star Wars is an embedded, built-in franchise, and it has the presale of tickets," says Logsdon, adding that word-of-mouth is more positive than anticipated. "This movie is going to play throughout the summer."
Full Text (544 words)Copyright USA Today Information Network May 21, 1999 Weekend As was widely expected, Episode I: The Phantom Menace had a record-breaking opening day, pulling in an estimated $28.5 million, 20th Century Fox says. The Star Wars prequel beat record-holder The Lost World: Jurassic Park, which made $21.6 million its first day out. That puts Menace on track to break the opening weekend record, says movie analyst Jeffrey Logsdon of the Seidler Cos. The projected five-day take ranges from $120 million to $150 million. The record: The Lost World's $90.2 million in 1997. The Star Wars prequel opened at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday in 2,970 sites and is playing to full houses everywhere, Logsdon notes. "Star Wars is an embedded, built-in franchise, and it has the presale of tickets," says Logsdon, adding that word-of-mouth is more positive than anticipated. "This movie is going to play throughout the summer." Veteran media analyst Harold Vogel isn't so sure. "The real test of it will be in the second and third weeks. It's too early to know whether there are enough people interested in seeing it four times or more." But wait -- there's more! But stop
counting box office. Start counting the days to Episode II! There are just 1,199 to go until its 2002 opening. "It takes me three years to do one of these," says creator George Lucas, now writing the fifth Star Wars movie. He wishes he had four years. "But the actors get older, and I'm in a delicate situation. I'd just as soon get this all finished, locked in and safe." Lucas reveals these details (if you'd rather stay in the dark, read no further): * Episode II is set 10 years after Menace. This means that Natalie Portman will return as Queen Amidala but that Jake Lloyd will be too young to play Anakin. "Obviously, we have to get a 20-year-old hunk to play him," Lucas says. * The Empire will strike -- big time. "Darth Sidious takes over the Republic, turns it into an empire and controls everything," Lucas says. "Ultimately, everybody in The Phantom Menace is a pawn. Nothing is real." * Lucas will direct because no other director knows so much about the digital technology. "I figured it was harder for me to explain it to somebody than to do it myself." Proof, '90s-style, that the hype for the final two films has begun: There already are Web sites devoted to them. Last month, Internet entrepreneur Chris Sherman started www.episodeII.com. "I wanted to get in on the ground floor." Other sites include www.cinescape.com and starwars.talkcity.com. Some tidbits: * Pre-production on Episode II has begun. Producer Rick McCallum tells Talk City that there have been two conceptual art department meetings and that he has seen "awesome" costume and vehicle designs. McCallum and production designer Gavin Bocquet leave shortly to scout locations. * The next one will be romantic. Lucas calls it a love story, and, according to Cinescape, it will be balanced with the background story of the Sith's relentless drive to take over the galaxy. * Background characters will come to the fore. Samuel L. Jackson and Ewan McGregor will play much larger roles. New characters will be cast toward the end of 1999. [Illustration] PHOTO, Color, Lucasfilm, Ltd.; Caption: Portman: Expected to be back in 'Episode II'
Subjects:Author(s):Andy SeilerArticle types:NewsSection:LIFEPublication title:USA Today. Arlington: May 21, 1999. pg. 01.ESource Type:NewspaperISSN/ISBN:07347456ProQuest document ID:41776940Text Word Count544
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